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Let me know how it went. I'm exhausted, and have been for two months. I'm concerned about really doing some damage to our pup's emotions, since we have another Cav and I know how tender hearted they are. Would so appreciate hearing about how it went when you removed our girl from the bedroom. Thanks- Katie

As a puppy I tried to sleep Leo in his crate, he barked and whinned that I would get up at about 3am and let him out. Finally I ditched the crate at night and put his bed in the kitchen with the door shut.
he barked for about 3-4 nights until late but soon settled. I can only suggest you try something like that. Its hard for the first week but worth it if you can be patient.
when i say "Bedtime" now he's straight in the kitchen while I get his bed.....thats it until the next morning.
If you keep getting up to your little one she'll soon learn if she creates you'll come.
Good luck

Hi Katie, this thread is from 2007, so the original posters might not still be following it.

A treat before bedtime helps enormously. Mine all run for their crates at night and wait for their bedtime biscuit. Maybe removing your cavalier from the bedroom will help -- your proximity and this now well established routine may be the key to the problem. Why not try moving your cavalier to the kitchen either in or out of a crate, at least for a few months until this habit is broken? (however I have found if I let Jaspar sleep back in my room then he whines when put back with the others in crates for a night... so I keep them all in crates now).

I never advocate punishment at all, but I do think people can confuse setting limits and giving structure -- which dogs absolutely need -- and somehow 'damaging' them. They do not really have emotions in the sense that training them to sleep where it is convenient to the owner, is doing harm. Very far from it. Dogs are social animals that trhive on structure and routine. If a dog is NOT trained to happily accept being left alone, calmly going into downstays, and being left to stay busy with a Kong, for example, then they WILL be damaged -- by becoming desperately anxious at any and every separation to the point where their own lives become miserably unhappy and unmanageable. These kinds of dogs have truly been affected negatively by their owners because they have little self control and everything unexpected becomes alarming and worrying -- sometimes to such an extreme that they they are impossible to live with. It is extremely difficult to reverse such damage once done. People need to make sure they do not become those kinds of owners!

I really recommend finding a good CPDT or APDT certified trainer if this is an ongoing problem, to get some sound, positive-methods training advice. Walk away from anyone who starts talking about dominance...

I'd also recommend downloading Ian Dunbar's free book After You Get Your Puppy which sets out how to train and manage dogs kindly and effectively but firmly so that you give them the structure they need. Cavaliers are just as tough and manipulative, funloving and gentle, as any other breed (my partner's German Shepherd is actually a lot softer than some of my cavaliers!! )-- please do not fail to give cavaliers the training they need, out of a notion that they are too tender for the good, firm training that will result in a happy and confident adult dog.

[QUOTE=Karlin;430898
Mine all run for their crates at night and wait for their bedtime biscuit.

Same here! When its time for bedtime, my guys are running for the crate, looking for their little treat. Talk about conditioned dogs!

I do recall that when they first came to us, we had some crying issues, and while it is tempting to let them out, I wouldn't do it. If I felt that maybe they had to potty, it would be all business -- out of crate to yard, and then 5 minutes (max) while on lead to potty. ( If they don't go quickly, the crying was for something else - like attention or more play time!). I love my sleep and am very cranky without it. The dogs probably picked up on that too!

LOL!!! My 17 year old daughter is the last to leave the house in the morning, so she is responsible for doling out the "goodbye" treats. Earlier this week, she was rushing and was almost out the door, when Bosco nudged her, and she turned to see the my 3 dogs looking at her, quite expectantly! They know the routine, and will make sure she doesn't forget it!